Helsinki, Finland – 24th of June, 2020 –  Slush, a global startup movement and a not-for-profit community, announced today a unique partnership with global, science-led biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, combining Slush’s mission of helping the next generation groundbreaking founders and AstraZeneca’s pioneering work in the healthcare landscape to improve patients’ lives and push the boundaries of science.

In partnership with AstraZeneca International Medical Affairs, Slush will help to advance innovation in healthcare across Emerging Markets, opening up new opportunities for exciting collaborations which will seek to address current and future unmet patient needs. 

The companies will identify promising startups and provide a channel of support and mentoring to accelerate their progress, encouraging founders to build purpose-driven companies in the healthcare industry. The partnership will revolve around Slush’s initiative, Node by Slush, which connects startups, investors, and industry-leading companies together.  

“Slush’s mission is to help and create the next generation of world-changing entrepreneurs. Our partnership with a pioneering biomedical company like AstraZeneca supports this mission: our joint plans for the Fall create more opportunities for us to help and connect founders and startups to what and who they need. AstraZeneca and Slush will be closely working together in the upcoming months to build and accelerate revolutionary healthcare startups, and create real change.”

Miika Huttunen, CEO at Slush

The partnership follows AstraZeneca’s creation of Emerging Markets Health Innovation Hubs across Russia, Middle East & Africa, Asia and Latin America and aims to curate the world’s leading healthcare and wellbeing content, strengthen the bonds between AstraZeneca’s global biomed hubs and encourage founders to build purpose-driven companies in the healthcare industry. 

“Since we launched our Emerging Markets Health Innovation Hubs network in 2018, we have constantly been looking for new ways to support the healthcare ecosystem and entrepreneurs, accelerate innovation, increase healthcare access and improve outcomes for patients and society. Our new partnership with Slush is an example of our continued drive to innovate and boost our social commitment to the next level. It will not only help maintain the momentum of innovation during the current pandemic, but will also ensure we’re well-equipped to face future challenges, further strengthening our biomed clusters to develop promising new healthcare solutions.”

Leon Wang, EVP International and Country President China & Hong Kong, AstraZeneca

About Slush

Slush is the world’s leading startup and tech event and a student-led, not-for-profit movement. Slush’s annual main event gathers 25,000 investors, founders, journalists and executives to Helsinki. During August 2020 Slush will launch a new initiative called Node by Slush. On top of events and Node by Slush, Slush runs an online media called Soaked by Slush, a newsletter with 70k+ subscribers, research pieces, and much more. Slush Oy is owned by the Startup Foundation. As with previous years, Slush’s annual operating profit will be used directly to develop the events and to support entrepreneurship through new projects and initiatives. www.slush.org & @SlushHQ

More information

Anna Brchisky
Communications, Slush
[email protected]